AN axed life-saving coastguard team, which patrols West Dunbartonshire and Helensburgh, could be given a reprieve following the recent cruise liner tragedy.

At least 13 people have died since the Costa Concordia ship ran aground off the coast of Italy earlier this month.

But the tragedy has given hope to the possibility of reversing the decision to close Clyde Coastguard which covers the west of Scotland.

Last November, the UK government decided to shut the centre – the busiest in the country – with cover, from 2015, coming from Northern Ireland in a shake-up of the service.

In light of the tragedy in Italy, Inverclyde MP Iain McKenzie last week asked the Prime Minister if he thought it was the correct decision to shut the Clyde Coastguard station in Greenock.

David Cameron said: “First, the case in Italy is clearly a tragic one, and our hearts should go out to the people who have lost loved ones.

“We need to wait and see what the exact cause of the accident was before we jump to conclusions about any changes to regulations or other things.

“However, if changes need to be made, of course we will make them.”

The Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents coastguard staff, confirmed it had not given up the fight to save the station and welcomed the Prime Minister’s response.

West Dunbartonshire MP Gemma Doyle said: “I’m glad that Ian McKenzie MP raised the issue of the coastguard closure with the Prime Minister in parliament this week.

“We have been campaigning on this issue for many months now, to retain the coastguard station here on the Clyde.

“The government had effectively closed the door to reconsidering their decision but the Prime Minister has raised hopes with these comments.

“I will be following up this issue with him and I hope that the government will recognise the importance of keeping a coastguard station on the Clyde and reverse their decision.”

Hundreds of years of experience among 31 members of staff could be lost from the Clyde if the closure goes ahead as planned. From then, 24-hour coastguard cover in Scotland will only be provided by stations in Aberdeen, Stornoway and Shetland.

Announcing the cuts at the House of Commons in November, Shipping Minister Mike Penning told how the decisions will deliver a modernised, nationally networked, fully resilient coastguard service while reducing further costs.